New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-10-05
mr. PARKER ON BEECHER.
ORC ESTIMATE OF THE PLYMOUTH PASTOR
,,v.r MAN FROM WHATEVER SIDE VIEWED
Tpr THEOLOGY OF THE LONDON PREACHER.

THEOLOGY OF HE LONOOSN
Copyright; 1887. a.
,~ords nj eulogy spoken by the greatest OF English
Conversational minister's Dr. Joseph Parker upon inc
s.,.most American preacher OF his time henry waru
,.cber were delivered TO audience OF 1uiiy |'oVV
r.ops crowding the Brooklyn Academy OF Music last
YS.,,nu The exercises were held under the direction
~ the committee in charge Of the Beecher statue fuho
d the proceeds will go to swell the amount to be ex-
.nded upon suitable mem orial
I'm the stage were the members Of that committee,
Ar of the Clerical Union. to which MI Beecher
and other ministers. and the star OF the 18TH
o,,nent Of which he was chaplain. Among them were
.h Rev Drs Charles II. Hall, Edward Beecher Thomas
.,,aos Edward p Terhune, Josiah Strong f. T.
1,son 7 g. Roberts. d. O. Eddy, j. ID. Fulton, C. L.
wells T. O. Peck T. A. Nelson, l. X. Funk, H. b. keisay
and r g. Pardington; the Rev. Messrs. g. b. Halliday,
q Mains U. d. Gulick, Lewis Francis, John Hump
.tone. A. j. Lyman and j. W. Hageman Mayor whitney,
Mayer Low John T. Howard, 8. v. White, nj. s.
- ~ Mayor Hunter f. w. Hinrichs John r. Green,
n w T. NJ Ffske, Professor F. W. Hooper, Herman
,,,nann John A. Quintard. A. Abraham. John 7.
adams Dr. A. NJ Burns and General woodward. ACT
,rg Colonel Watson, Quartermaster Charles werner
Co,.missary Lewis NJ. Read, Surgeon Charles DE La
VERNE and Major Theodore II. Babcock and other mem
bsrs of the 18th Regiment were present IN UNIFORM
DR. HALLS WORDS OF WEI COME
mr. Charles H. Hall, who preached the sermon at Mr.
Reechers funeral and who is chairman Of the Memorial
committee presided. Promptly at o'clock Dr. Parker
was escorted the stage and was welcomed with nearly
appause Dr. Hall made brief and Informal introduc
tory speech, saying:
~No one has felt than that there has been a
want be supplied since the dark days Oh LENT tha'
the sprg rosemary laid upon the coffin of our brother
at his request was by no all Brooklyn desired We
have come to supply that want this occasion and also
10 hear an Engshmans estimate of the great Brooklyn
man. assure him that there could have been no moro
appropriate words than those he used wheh ne su no
was glad that he would find Disorders In America
He may be assured that Brooklyn has no dissen'ers o
his words on this occasion" lApplauseI
HEARTILY GREETING MR.. BEEcHER's FRIEND.
Or Parker was received with renewed outbursts OF
apoause as he rose to speak The following is his eulogy
IN full:
"Quis desiderio sit pudOr aub modus
Tam carl capits 2"
The task which has been assigned me would be less
q, an honor were 1t less Of burden 1t overweights
me- 1t brings back all my tears. Yet in undertaking
II Yield to fascination which is simply irresistible
d, feel that nv movement toward the discharge OF
this sacred trust is In rhythm with those wider move
ments which work out the mystery Of special fitness,
and finally express themselves in the music OF pro-
portion and harmony. We're some other man 10
claim this honor the ground Of superior genius he
should have ms anly, with my hearts absolute con-
sent but no shall take it from me on the plea
of larger love. (Arplause.)
There i should reSlst the lHlpOsslDic picd WIN n
positiveness redeemed from perversity by homage
wi bout flaw, and a devotion undistracted by those
pedantic and fastdious criticisms, which, though in
tended to mark the imparty and perhaps the super
iority Of he critic destroy all that is inspiring In
eulogy, and all that Is magnanimous In Justice. TO
my task I bring entire love- If love may speak
my speech is ready. If love Is genius claim to be
called upon first and the fact thai each Of US would
claim priority only shows that the santed name which
memorabilia oday works like spell upon her
Imagination and reverence and is In the keeping
Of universal love.
To day our gracious task is euloey. Npplause By
and-by there may arise critics who have every gift
but Inspiration, and every grace but generosity, who
will reduce the unconscious exaggeratlons OF our hoh-
age by the recollection faults which they themselves
embody and by the calculated and artistic enlarge
ment of infirmties which will insure their huency by
first recalling their experience. To-day we pay the
toll of love. To-day bring an offering of flowers
gathered from gardens far and near, and tended by
men to whom flowers symbols and poems. To-day
we do more than all this for first magnify God In
His servant and account all eulogy worthless that
not first religious Mere eulogy IA a waxen hover
that melts in the hand that proudly grasps II; bu
true eulogy is living flower, rooted alike In eai'I
and sun. -
NEITHER CRITICS NOR IDoLATORs.
Our crowned friend what he was by the grace
81 God by the power of Christ, by the inspiration OF
the Holy Ghost Applause) We bes' praise the
human by recognizing the Divine. So " we arc moi
critics. neither idolators In this instance
the moro significant and inclusive because OF II
conspicuousncss-our human love comes ont OF oui
Divine worship And our Divine worship. In pro
portion to its intelligence and purity, enables US u
see how much divinity there Is in every human life
In the poorest weakest, saddest life and In the lie
that throbs glows in the creators OF prophecies
and poems.
speak not infcrcntally, but with definite personal
information. when ! that our assembled fr1eho
nd rep /. perhaps with CO tainly with IN
dignaon. every eulogy which God did not nrst sane
ion and would love that eulogy best which gra'e
fully and reverentally magnifed the eternal glory
Of the Son of Cod (Appause)
As an Englshman claim, in this labor OF love
an advana age which no American can yet enjoy Thre
thousand. miles may be said to represent not only
distance of locality, but what is almost equivalent
distance of time-that dis ance 30 essential 10 tru
color, proportion perspective; the distance Which get
rid of tho detail. the friction, and the tumuit whic
cannot but the eyes with cross lights, ana per
pick the ud gment with the camor OF importuna'e con
tentlons. Three thousand miles away we saw onl
the outline Of a noble figure (applause), heard only
clarion tongue, beheld only the wizar'ry OF super
Ina cina ion and wondered only at a scope and powe
Of prayer, together constituting unique persohay
which, with halowng effect, touched at once our rev
erence and
We saw results, and knew next to nothing
processes We thrilled under the sacred symphony
and yet were spared the tuning OF the instrument
In the criticism. therefore, OF man like Mr. Becche
Christian Englishmen enabled to make history u
fore the time and to award honor az II with seenit
Of accumulated years, whilst some Of the men In Ill
own country, as to whose ability and sincerity ther
cannot be shadow of honest doubt, are yet unable
escape the limitations of locality and vision We mus
stand away from the mountain II we would see 1t
magnitude. criticism that is attcmpered by admiIin
memory Is not bound by the vulgarity OF the make
eye With this advantage undertake my Work
GREATNt SIS REVEALED BY DISTANCE.
The Atlantic did for England what time VIII do 10
America. How much was lost on that great an
wids sea" we cannot tell-perhaps something of ex